This article will help all those who are going to get new household appliances, but do not yet know how to choose a washing machine. We will consider the types and types of machines, and you can choose the best option for your needs and budget.
Washing machines: types and types
All washing machines can be divided into two main classes: front-loading and vertical-loading. Choosing a washing machine, many buyers can not decide which SM to choose. Sales consultants often assure that vertical washers are more reliable than front ones, but is this true? We will consider both options below and help you choose the type of washing machine that you need.
Vertical cars
When wondering which washing machine to choose - frontal or still vertical, you need to know the features of both machines. Below we will look at how to choose a vertical automatic washing machine. In the vertical design there is no hatch familiar to us through which you can see how the washing process goes. Instead, there is a loading hole hidden behind a hinged lid. This cover is located on top, and behind it are the flaps of the drum.
In many models, in order to get the laundry after washing, you need to twist the drum so that the hatch is on top. More modern models turn the drum upside down so that the user does not bother. If you like the automatic rotation of the drum and do not want to play in “Field of Miracles”, choose a washing machine with the Drum Up function.
MAIN PLUS vertical washer - a huge savings in free space. Often such cars become the choice of owners of small apartments: Khrushchev, studios and the like.
Important! It should be borne in mind that the machine will need a space from above for unobstructed opening of the hatch. Therefore, it will not work to integrate it under the sink or put on top of the shelves.
The approximate dimensions of a standard washing machine with a vertical loading mechanism are as follows:
- Height: 800-950 mm.
- Width: 400-450 mm.
- Depth: about 600 mm.
Two types of cars are distinguished mainly by depth. In frontal washers, this parameter varies from 400 to 600 mm.
As for the exhortations of sellers that vertical-type cars are equipped with a more reliable drum, this is nothing more than a myth. Experts are sure that these machines do not have fundamental differences in the quality, structure or reliability of the drums.
The only fundamental difference is purely visual - if you like to watch the washing process, then the vertical washer does not have such an opportunity. This nuance in no way affects the quality of washing or spinning.
Front Wash
Such cars are chosen by more than 80% of buyers of the domestic market. You are probably wondering how to choose a front-loading washing machine, what to focus on and not lose out in the choice. Below we will tell you about all the important points and characteristics of this type of SMA.
A PLUS. This is a real hard worker! Such a machine can wash from 3.5 to 10 kg of laundry, depending on the volume of the tank and the technical capabilities of the machine.
MINUS. When installing such a machine, you must always provide enough free space in front so that the hatch can easily open.
PARAMETERS. Typically, such cars are about 80 cm high, but there are models higher or lower by about 15 cm. In addition, for small-sized apartments, some manufacturers have created narrow cars, no wider than 40 cm. Such washing machines fit freely in any room, but also linen in they can be washed significantly less, and washing is at a lower power than full-fledged SM. Sacrificing the size of the machine, and choosing to save space, you have to be content with the modest washing parameters. Dimensions of frontal cars:
- Standard . Such washers reach a height of 90 centimeters. In terms of depth and width, the figures are approximately the same - 60 cm. The possible weight of the laundry is 7 kilos.
- Compact . Usually they are 20 cm below standard machines. They are no more than half a meter wide and usually about 45 cm deep. Compact washing machines can usually be washed with no more than 3 kg of laundry.
- Narrow. In height and width, they usually differ little from standard SMA, but the depth of such machines is up to 40 cm, and sometimes 35! Capacity is 3.5-5 kilos.
- Super narrow. With a standard width and height, the depth of such washers is no more than 35 cm, and sometimes even less. The maximum weight of laundry is 4 kg.
Comparison table of frontal and vertical SM
If you still do not know how to choose a washing machine, and most importantly - which one: frontal or vertical, we made a small summary in the form of a table. It will help to immediately identify the pros and cons and make the right choice.
Frontal | Vertical |
Distributed on the home appliance market of the Russian Federation, are in great demand, famous for their impressive lineup. | There are fewer models, but there are narrow cars that are suitable even for the smallest rooms. |
A little cheaper machines with vertical loading (subject to the same parameters). | This is a fairly roomy machine with its modest size. |
There is a good “bonus” in the front-type washing machine - you can watch the washing through a transparent glass hatch. | The location of the hatch in a vertical typewriter gives it another advantage - you practically do not need to bend down, putting clothes in the drum or taking it out. |
Models of the standard type can wash a decent amount of laundry. | You can stop washing and report things - water will not pour out of the drum. Very convenient feature, available only with vertical AGR. |
Additionally! Of all the downsides of vertical machines, the main thing can be considered only a question of cost. Yes, and there are no vertical minimax machines - they are all about the same in terms of overall dimensions.
We choose a machine according to all the rules
Understanding further how to choose a washing machine, it is worth paying attention to other parameters of both types of machines.
How spacious is the drum
When buying a car, consider the number of people in the family:
- If a family of 3-5 people, then it is worth choosing a typewriter with a capacity of at least 5 kg.
- If you are a young couple, and do not plan to expand your family or even live alone, then you can have a tank of 3-3.5 kg.
- A large family of 5 people should look at the most capacious cars with a drum up to 10 pounds.
Equally important is the type of fabric that you prefer. If you intend to wash woolen things, then they weigh a little, but they take up places, like five cotton T-shirts.
Important! No need to overload the drum machine. If according to the instructions it is supposed to load no more than 5 kg of linen, do not neglect this rule. Little is also bad. If the machine is designed for 5 pounds, and you load only 0.5-1 kg, for the washing machine to work, this will not be a plus. Better to accumulate 1.5-2 kg of laundry, and then start washing.
What is the best way to save
If the rational use of funds is important to you, then the standard MCA will be the most profitable choice. But if there is not so much free space in the bathroom or in the kitchen, then a narrow or compact machine will suit you best. If you are going to save on resources - electricity and water, then pay attention to the parameters of efficiency. Determining profitability is not so difficult: in the classification, at the top are the most efficient cars, and at the bottom of the pyramid are the machines with the highest level of consumption.
Important! If you need a machine with a drying function, this will require large expenditures of water and energy.
Speaking about the parameters and designations, one can not help but mention the quality of the wash. Pay attention to the Latin letters printed on the labels of the washing machines. So, the letter “A” means that the quality of washing at SM is excellent, and G is not very good.
A little about spin
The strength of this parameter determines the degree of humidity of your washed items, as well as the ease of subsequent ironing. So, at the first stage of washing, you can independently set the number of revolutions during the spin cycle. Of course, everything is based on the type of fabric - delicate fabrics need a small number of revolutions, and coarse ones can be easily wrung out at maximum speeds - from 800 and above. Spin is also classified in Latin letters A to G.
How to choose SMA with dryer
The usefulness of this feature is so obvious that it makes no sense to extol it. The machine will dry the laundry, and you do not have to hang it on the balcony, on the dryers in the apartment, or worse, on the street. But there are also disadvantages to this improvement - after drying, some fabrics are difficult to iron, and the counter starts to “wind” more light. Here you need to choose between convenience and cost, between the speed of obtaining dry clothes and cost-effectiveness. This function is realized by heating the air in the tank, which pushes the remaining moisture from the laundry and collects it in a special tray. There is also a drying with a timer, when the drying function starts after the end of the wash cycle. There are machines equipped with a humidity sensor, which themselves decide how wet the laundry is and how long it takes to dry. Such sensors are installed in the latest SM models and significantly affect their cost.
All management attention
Today, all cars are equipped with electronics, part of which is the CMA control system. As a rule, this is a clear interface, accessible by simplicity even to a child - he pressed 2 buttons and the wash went. All the most complex processes - this is the control of water temperature, and its change, and others - are controlled by a special board. The maximum convenience is the display. Such machines “communicate” with the owner, displaying the wash or spin time, or report errors. The smarter the system, the more expensive the machine - the first minus. The second minus: the smarter the system, the more details, and the more details - the higher the probability of failure. Often this is confirmed in practice.
Degree of protection
We continue to talk about how to choose the right washing machine. Approaching the issue seriously, it's worth talking about security, as for many buyers this is a significant criterion. Racing manufacturers equip their washers with new and new protection systems:
- Leakage protection. This system will protect even from internal leaks. If the hoses or nozzles break, the water supply is interrupted. This will not only make the puddle on the floor smaller, but also protect the user from an accident.
- Protection against opening the hatch during washing. Almost any SMA can boast of this feature. To do this, manufacturers build in special locks that securely lock the hatch door, preventing it from opening until the end of the wash cycle.
- Child protection. Not all models have this feature: check this question if you have children. The essence of the “lotion” is that the machine lock is released only if certain buttons on the control panel are clamped. It looks like blocking smartphones from accidentally unlocking in your pocket. Very young children can not cope with this puzzle, which means they will not be able to open the machine.
A little bit about the modes
There is a classic list of modes that have not changed for decades, and there are modern modes that only the latest CMA models are equipped with. Some of them are really convenient, and some are just a marketing ploy to attract customers and make equipment more expensive. In fact, you only need the basic programs:
- Cotton.
- Colored underwear.
- Quick wash.
- Handwash.
- Delicate wash.
Everything that goes above the listed modes is not necessary at all. Of course, you need to proceed from your needs, but often modes, such as "eco-super-bubble-cotton," are practically not used. If you will be persuaded in the store to buy a car a couple of thousand more because of one such regime, do not listen, but take what you need. We examined almost everything that relates to how to choose a washing machine. The video will also come to your aid: